Tactic A4.5
Encourage Dark Sky-compliant lighting (mid-term goal)
Encourage grandfathered businesses and residents to implement dark sky-compliant lighting.
Sedona has achieved the coveted Dark Sky Community designation from the International Dark-Sky Association, and all newer businesses operating in the Sedona area are required to use dark sky-compliant lighting.
This tactic encourages grandfathered businesses to adopt such lighting, even though they are not legally required to do so. Incentives or grant funding may motivate businesses to transition. By building broad participation, Sedona will be better positioned to maintain and build on its dark sky designation.
IMPACTED PILLARS
TIMEFRAME Mid-term (2-3 years)
LEAD PARTNER Keep Sedona Beautiful
SUPPORTING PARTNERS SCC&TB, City of Sedona, Sedona Businesses
ALIGNING RESEARCH Resident Survey, Business Survey, Nonprofit Focus Group, Public Input, Industry Best Practices
TARGET / STATUS TO DATE
1. Number of signs currently out of compliance (use KSB annual sign/light audit)
PROGRESS TO DATE
Dark Sky (mid-term goal)
Encourage grandfathered businesses and residents to implement dark sky-compliant lighting.
FY 23 The City of Sedona has granted $10,000 to Keep Sedona Beautiful to help advance this initiative. This summer, KSB provided a tour of candidate properties to a Phoenix manufacturer of effective lighting to help determine the appropriate lights for each location.
FY22 In the fourth quarter of FY22, Keep Sedona Beautiful contacted a Phoenix lighting manufacturer whose products could bring grandfathered businesses into compliance. KSB conducted a tour of candidate properties to help the manufacture determine specific lighting needs at each location. Keep Sedona Beautiful applied with the City of Sedona for a $10,000 grant to help fund the conversion costs.
In the second quarter of FY22, Keep Sedona Beautiful visited 14 businesses who are candidates for initial retrofit of non-compliant lighting with dark sky compliant lighting,
The first business has agreed to replace their grandfathered non-compliant lighting with the assistance of Keep Sedona Beautiful (KSB). KSB currently working with a 2nd candidate business and seeking additional grant money to fund this ongoing tactic.
Earlier in the fiscal year, Keep Sedona Beautiful included an extended message of the following in the Fall Quarterly Newsletter to members and friends: KSB is embarking on a new project to retire and replace old outdoor lighting fixtures that don’t comply with the City of Sedona’s outdoor lighting code. We are excited to announce that KSB has received grants from the Arizona Community Foundation of Sedona and the Sedona Whole Foods Market to accelerate our project. This fall KSB will begin a dialog with these businesses to explain that attractive new lighting fixtures are readily available and that we’re available to help make the switch easy for them. If these businesses are interested, KSB will collaborate with them to find suitable dark-sky-compliant fixtures, and we’ll offer substantial rebates for their new fixtures and light bulbs. If you would like the chance to volunteer to reach out to local businesses, find and select appropriate fixtures, or provide handyman skills to help replace fixtures, please contact Mark Lawler, KSB Dark Sky Committee Chair, LawlerMark@Earthlink.net.
9/21/21 Lighting Replacement Initiative, KSB has received grants from Whole Foods and ACF, $4600+, which will be used to help businesses and individuals replace and upgrade lighting to be dark sky compliant. Will focus on businesses initially. Dark Sky has been identifying key offenders. The businesses will be required to match KSB’s contribution towards the replacement lighting. Businesses which comply will be considered for Annual Award of Excellence recognition.
FY21 & FY20: During these two fiscal years, Keep Sedona Beautiful met with City of Sedona representatives to clarify Sedona outdoor light pollution code revisions and address plans to deal with grandfathered lights. KSB Dark Sky Committee Chair Joanne Kendrick accompanied a dark sky expert to discussions with the City of Sedona Manager’s Office.
In April 2021, The SCC&TB promoted Earth Month/International Dark Sky Week on Visit Sedona social media profiles and the SCC&TB Facebook site.
In June 2021, KSB began identifying volunteers with excellent electrical skills to assist those who wish to replace non-compliant lighting.